On Thursday night, I hadn’t dropped a damn pound from water cutting, so I decided to start eating and just be in the 181 weight class. Not that big of a deal, but I would like to lose to weight over the next 3 months through some conditioning and diet changes as well. I have a lot I can improve upon these next couple month so that I can be easily in the 165 weight class. Anyways, I did awesome this past weekend! It was so well run, the division was USPA and there were 2 national judges there as well so nobody got away with shit. All the weights were in kilograms which was annoying
Squat:
Opener: 215lb…I didn’t get my feet set too well but got it up very easily. I was just super nervous and settled down after this lift.
2nd attempt: 237lb…Easy weight again
3rd attempt: 248lb (3 lb total PR but an 18 lb meet PR!!)
Bench
Opener: 127lb…super easy and not an issue
2nd attempt: 137lb…Again went up pretty easy and thought I had it in me for my next attmept at either 143 or 148. 12 lb meet PR!
3rd attempt: 148: missed it My groove was off and I couldn’t get in the correct position to grind it out, like I know I could have. Oh well, it’s a work in progress.
Deadlift
Opener: 275…very easy and definitely a confidence booster
2nd attempt: 303lb…they started playing “Lose Yourself” by Eminem which has always been my pump up song and I destroyed this lift. Loved it.
3rd attempt: 325…kind of slow off the floor, in fact I was sure I could get it off the floor. But I hinged correctly and once I got the bar in motion it was easy weight. Super excited about this one. 10 lb total PR and 30 lb meet PR!!
Meet total was 710 lb at body weight of 175 lb. This was a 60 lb meet PR! Here’s the video:
*My body is incredibly sore, especially down my entire posterior chain. I knew I couldn’t deadlift or bench tonight so squatting and conditioning work was what I felt like doing.
Box Squat
5@bar, 2x5@135, 3@155, 5x3@185 (actually a weight and rep PR)
Circuit work; 4 rounds total:
Prowler push ~50 yards (1st set with no weight on it and next 3 sets with 2 45 lb plates)
Inverted Pullups
4x10
Kettle Bell Swings
4x12@45 lb
Pushups
4x10
Jog
4 rounds of running around the gym (maybe 75 yards)
Squat
bar, 5@95, 5@135, 5@155, 5x5@175 (beltless)
*I’m going to try working more beltless sets into my upcoming cycle. It will help me be more explosive when I have the belt on hopefully. Also this was hard, harder than I wanted but I will hopefully be able to do this like speed work before my next meet.
Deficit Stiff Legged Deadlift
3x10@115…Need to keep these in the mix, my ass, oh how it hurts.
Sumo Pulls
random reps at 115 just practicing form. I have never actually done these before but I think they will be a great option for accessory DL.
**This is the start of my new training program/continuation of my updated version of the training program. I am doing an RTS program designed by my boyfriend, he’s quite good at all this programming stuff. My last program, I did a modified Cube Method, then about 6 weeks out from my meet I moved to an RTS version. Now I’m moving away from the Cube Method and starting RTS. Roughly, it goes like this: Cycle 1 will have 2 Phases each 3 weeks long. Phase 1 will be Volume Phase (3 weeks) and Phase 2 will be Intensity Phase (3 weeks). In between each phase will be a deload week, so 1 Cycle will be 8 week total. I will also be using an RPE system.
Cycle 1, Volume Phase, Week 1, Deadlift
Deadlift (6 @ RPE 9)
bar, 6@135, 6@185, 6@225 (beltless), 6@245 (beltless, RPE 10), 3x6@245 (belt)
*I have discovered a blaring weakness of mine and that is, I rely too heavily on my belt at heavier weights. Not good. SO, I am attempting to wean myself off the belt a little more and see what I can do without it. Let’s just say this was an eye opener as to how weak I am without my belt.
Stiff Legged DL
4x8@135 (RPE 8)
Box Squat
5@bar, 5@135, 5x5@155
Prowler (whyyyyyyy did I agree to this???)
3x4 @ ~25 yards (no weight on it, just going for speed)
Squat (all beltless)
bar, 5@95, 5@135, 5@155, 2x8@175, 11@175 (went for an AMRAP set)…all of this was a beltless PR which I was really proud of. I’ve been very dependent on my belt this last year in training and I think I’m benefiting mentally and physically to work on beltless stuff.
Paused Squat
5x5@155
Sumo DL (I’ve never actually trained this ever, so today was the first time trying)
2x5@155, 5@135, 5@155, 5@175, 5@205 (RPE 10, very difficult, definitely so ways to go with technique), 5@185
Bench (4@ RPE 9 paused)
bar, 4@95, 4@115, 4@120, 5x4@125
*I very much have the strength for all this but my technique is still iffy sometimes. My groove gets off and sometimes I don’t keep my chest up, so I lose the bar forwards. I didn’t miss any reps but I can’t wait to be doing 135 for this kind of rep range.
Close Grip Bench
6@95, 2x6@105, 2x6@110, 10@105 (AMRAP)
Cable Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
20@60, 18@75, 12@90
*This was suppose to be get 50 reps in 3 sets broken up however you want to, however, I started out way too light and ended up increasing the weight with each new set. I like these because it gets the work in quickly when you need to, so maybe I’ll incorporate this more often.
DB Curl and OHP combo
3x10@15s
Banded Pullaparts and shoulder stretches
Squat (5x2@80% and all beltless)
bar, 5@95, 3@135, 3@155, 2@185, 4x2@205 (beltless PR by default but still a PR), 6@205 (AMRAP at the end and came up with a massive rep without belt PR!!! I have the video so I’ll post that later)
*My belt has become a mental crutch for me so I am trying to remove that crutch and work on beltless form, going well so far)
Paused Squat
4x6@155…so tired by that point
Sumo DL
4@135, 4@155, 4@185, 3x4@205
*Big improvement from last week already, I struggled hard with 205 last week and I think my form this week was already better.
BB Underhand Row
10@95, 3x10@105
Cable Face Pulls
3x12@50
Prowler Pushes (heavy day)
8 rounds:
2x ~25 yards @ 70 lbs of plates…total of about 400 yards
*So exhausted after this. I took about 5 min rest in between each set. The goal will be to lessen my recovery time, so I’ll start keeping up with that from now on.
Deadlift (5 @ PRE 9)
bar, 5@135, 5@185, 5@225, 5@245, 5x5@265 (belt; pretty good PR. I’ve done 5x4 before but it was much harder than this was)
Straight Legged DL
3x8@135, 3x8@135 (added a mini band connected to my waist to help me hinge at the hips and use my glutes; I’m having trouble with this movement and not using my back as much so my bf attempted to correct it with the band. The band helped some I guess.
Box Squat
bar, 4@135, 6x4@155
*Instead of my Monday night Prowler pushes (as it’s 30 degrees outside and yes that’s cold for a Southern girl) I did an indoor circuit I stole off Tnation:
3 rounds all body weight:
10 squat, 10 pushups, 8 reverse lunges each leg, 6 inverted pullups, 12 single legged dl each leg, 15 sec strict plank, rest 45 secs
Squat (4x6+@ 75%)
bar, 6@95, 6@135, 6@155, 3x6@185 (beltless), 10@185 (AMRAP and beltless rep PR, I’ve previously done 10@195 but with a belt)
Paused Squat (instead my usual pause at the bottom, I paused right out of the hole)
6x4@155
Sumo DL
5@135, 5@155, 5@185, 5@205, 5@215, 3x5@225
*Sheesh, I didn’t realize how many reps I did here until typing this out. No wonder I’m hella sore today. I just kept going up because these felt awesome. I did touch and go because it seemed to just feel the best as far as keeping my form for each rep. I’m still new to sumo, so just trying to see how far it will take me.
Iso-Row Machine
10@1 plate, 3x10@2 plates
Bulgarian Split Squat
3x10@BW
Cycle 1, Deload Week, Deadlift
*So I don’t usually have deload weeks but actually realllllly need it after this training phase. I’m beat. Also it’s perfect timing as it’s Thanksgiving week and I won’t have access to my normal gym due to being out of town. So win, win.
Deadlift
bar, 2x3@135, 3@185, 3@225, (6x3@245, 2x3@225) in 13 min and 15 sec from start to finish. Not really sure why I timed myself, more to help keep myself on track more than anything. I did not want to be at the gym tonight.
Box Squat
bar, 3@135, 3x5@135…terrible and so sore. My back was on another level tonight as far as being tight and sore. I just didn’t really recover well over the weekend.
Prowler Pushes
4 rounds: 4x ~20 yard pushes with no weight
Board Bench (1.5 inches)
bar, 2x6@95, 6@115, 4x6@120
*Haven’t done board bench in a while but figured I’d give it go while on deload week. My back is incredibly exhausted still from deadlift. I should get better at deloading…
Cable Neutral grip Lat Pulldown
3x10@105
DB Curl/OHP Combo
3x10@20s
My groove was off and I couldn’t get in the correct position to grind it out, like I know I could have. Oh well, it’s a work in progress.